Mountain biker injured after fall in the Clent Hills

A MAN has been taken to hospital after coming off his mountain bike in the Clent Hills.

The rider, who was in his 40s, fell after his bike hit a tree.

The incident happened at 9.40pm on Thursday (April 17) as the man was cycling up the hills in a group.

A call to West Midlands Ambulance Service was made by an off-duty paramedic who was one of the group.

After treating him at the scene, the paramedic was joined by an advanced community paramedic, a paramedic area support officer, the MERIT trauma team, the Hazardous Area Response Team and an ambulance crew.

The crew could only get as far as Sunfield Children's Home because of where the cyclist was so they were forced to carry their equipment on foot up the hill to treat the man, taking about 15 minutes to reach him.

The man, who had cuts to his face and hands and pain in this wrist and back, was immobilised onto a stretcher and was carried back downhill to the ambulance.

He was also given anti-sickness drugs because he felt nauseous and was then taken to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital for further assessment and treatment.